I founded the Carnival of MS Bloggers in 2007 to connect the growing MS Blogging Community. My vision was to become the central hub where bloggers could find each other and to feature a collection of independent patient voices.

As larger MS organizations have also begun to feature patient voices on their own websites in recent years, the Carnival of MS Bloggers is no longer the single driving force in serving this wonderful community. For that we should all be grateful.

Thank you for continuing to support me in this one-person labor of love over the years. As of now, I will be taking a break from hosting the Carnival of MS Bloggers.

I continue to process my feelings and experiences from that great adventure, but think it's time to share some things with you because people keep bugging me asking me, "was it a good trip?" :-)

Okay, so I brought back some things: postcards from the Chez Christine café in Saignon, bookmarks from an art gallery in Bonnieux, jams from a cherry festival in Casenuve, tapenades and placemats from a souvenir shop in Fountain de Vaucluse.

I ate tender and tasty lamb wrapped in eggplant in St. Pantaleon les Vignes, and rabbit in Apt. I tried goat cheese, sheep's cheese, French coffees and wines. I marveled at the amazing geology of the mountains, explored the trees and plants, and tried to identify birds. I hiked, I drank, and I sat by the pool having deep conversations with deep people. I said "wow" and "yum" a lot! It was exotic and exciting.

But I was exhausted for almost the entire trip. I'm not complaining. Really.

I'm reminded of the song "My Body" by Young the Giant, which goes "…my body tells me, 'no,' but I won't quit 'cause I want more." And I wanted more of the experience of France.

I had physically prepared for this trip by working out and increasing my time and distance on the treadmill. But I also studied meditation and practiced awareness, and worked on living in each moment.

I had no problem with the walking, the climbing, the carrying luggage. But I did have a problem with fatigue from over- stimulation, communicating in another language, dealing with disruptions in routine. By the third day, I wrote in my journal that I was scared, didn't think I could make it to the end of the week because I was just so tired, so overwhelmed.

But then my zen training took over and I told myself to live in the moment. Just this moment. Right now. Only right now. Don't worry about the rest of the week, worry about just this moment. And I can get through this one moment.

I savored each moment. Then another. Then another.

As I mentioned earlier, I brought back a few souvenirs (and pictures). But they really don’t matter. What matters is that I brought back a desire to continue to have fresh experiences, a willingness to try new foods, and a renewed confidence that I can go out in the world again with multiple sclerosis and debilitating fatigue. Even if it's just for one moment.

So, YES, it was a good trip!

Back to Home PagePS - In case you missed it, here are links to my Heroic Journey:Part 1 - The CallPart 2 - After the Call Is AnsweredPart 3 - What to Take on a Heroic Journey

This concludes the 146th edition of the Carnival. The next Carnival of MS Bloggers will be hosted here on September 19, 2013. Please remember to submit a post (via email) from your blog of which you are particularly proud, or which you simply want to share, by noon on Tuesday, September 17, 2013.